The present invention relates to an apparatus for cleaning and removing deposits from internal walls of ducts for conveying fluids of any kind, such as crude oil or process products, water or the like.
The apparatus according to the present invention can also be used effectively to clean gas pipes of any kind, for drains or in any case for any duct having a preferably circular cross-section.
It is known that piping is subject to become partially clogged by deposits, sediments or scale which can reduce its capacity even considerably.
Currently commercially available devices meant to clean and remove deposits from piping are usually constituted by cleaning heads, which are either pushed along the pipe by the pressure of the fluid or pulled by a drawing cable; some of said heads are meant to push in front of them the removed sediments or deposits.
These apparatuses have considerable limitations, because they are unable to work effectively on deposits of a certain consistency, since the pressure of the fluid is not sufficient to remove tough deposits or displace large sediments or deposits.
Another problem that affects conventional devices is that they are unable to pass through narrow elbows, joints, tapering sections or the like; moreover, if the apparatus jams inside the pipe, said pipe is completely obstructed.
The aim of the present invention is to eliminate the above-noted drawbacks, i.e., to provide an apparatus for cleaning and removing deposits from the internal walls of ducts for conveying fluids of any kind which is capable of working even on very tough and large deposits, regardless of the length and diameter of the pipes and even in the presence of elbows, joints or changes of direction even if they have a tight curvature radius.
Within the scope of this aim, an object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus which is simple, relatively easy to provide in practice, safe in use, effective in operation and has a relatively low cost.
This aim, this object and others which will become apparent hereinafter are achieved by the present apparatus for cleaning and removing deposits from internal walls of ducts for conveying fluids of any kind, characterized in that it comprises at least a propulsion head which is constituted by an elongated stem and by an impeller which is mounted freely on the stem and is suitable to produce an uninterrupted vibration and a series of hydraulic shocks or hammerings in order to cause the advancement of the head in the duct and a cleaning and/or removal element which is provided with means for rigid fixing to a front end of the stem or with means for engagement to the front or rear of said stem.